Internet charging system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a charging system which enables a customer to select an access method from plural kinds of access service including access service with advertisements, when the customer uses the Internet.  
     Internet access information, and information on a method for displaying information for charging and a charging method associated with Internet access are transmitted to an information terminal ( 101 ) of the customer, from a terminal server ( 105 ) to which the information terminal ( 101 ) is connected through modems ( 102 ), ( 104 ) and a public network ( 103 ). The customer selects desired information from the transmitted information.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging system which imposescharges for Internet access services and, more particularly, to anInternet charging system which enables customers to select a method forreceiving Internet access services, when plural Internet providersprovide the Internet access services to the customers based on pluralcharging methods which are respectively set on their own terms.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] When an individual who wants to use the Internet connects aninformation terminal to the Internet, the connection is made through anInternet access service provider (hereinafter, also referred to simplyas a “provider”) in most cases. When the Internet services started beingprevalent, the number of providers that is accessible from the existenceregion of the information terminal possessed by an individual Internetuser was restricted, while recently it becomes possible to access manyproviders from the same region, thereby diversifying choices. Meanwhile,chances of using the Internet services are increasing with theprevalence of the Internet.

[0003] However, in most cases, the individual who wants to use theInternet services utilizes general telephone subscription lines toconnect the information terminal to the Internet. Therefore, when usingthe Internet, the Internet user is required to pay an access fee chargedby the provider and a usage charge for the general telephonesubscription line. When these are simply added together, a high usagecharge is required.

[0004] Then, to reduce the usage charge for Internet, for example aprovider provides service which varies a charging fee that is the basisof the access fee charged by the provider, according to an accumulatedaccess time when a customer uses the Internet. Another provider providesservice which varies the charging fee according to a time zone in whichthe customer uses the Internet. In addition, another provider providesservice which makes the Internet access service usage charge free bycompulsorily showing advertisements to the customers. There is also acase where one provider provides these plural kinds of service at thesame time.

[0005] However, as a consequence that plural providers start to provideservices according to the plural charging methods which are setrespectively on their own terms, the Internet users have trouble inconstantly checking and weighing information on charging systems whichare provided by many providers, to utilize the most inexpensive or themost suitable access service for them.

[0006] Then, in order to cope with such diversification of usage chargesand provision methods of Internet access service, for example somepersons privately open web sites on which a comparison table ofinformation on charging systems, Internet access methods and the like,provided by many providers is made and the comparison table is providedoccasionally to the Internet users. Further, as disclosed in JapanesePatent No. 2939723, it is becoming possible to construct a system whichenables free selection of providers, kinds of access services or thelike, by adopting a charging system which makes a charging server and anauthentication server work together.

[0007] However, it is hard for the Internet users to manage wholeinformation on charging systems of many providers in real time bythemselves only with the above-described charging systems or comparisonof information on Internet access methods, charging methods or the like,provided on the privately-opened Web sites.

[0008] That is, the individual Internet users (customers) cannot changethe Internet access service occasionally according to their usage.

[0009] Further, when a provider starts new Internet access service, thecustomers who have been informed of the start of the service cannotutilize the new Internet access service unless they change varioussettings for utilizing the Internet access service themselves, and thechange of the Internet access service cannot be done in a short time.

[0010] Further, on the provider side, when customer utilizationconcentrates on specific Internet access service, a provision method ofthe Internet access service cannot be changed according to a utilizationstate of the network and thus the network cannot be utilizedeffectively. Further, since an advertisement distribution method and acharging method associated with the Internet access are somewhat fixed,the advertisement distribution method and the charging method cannot bechanged according to the customers needs.

[0011] The present invention is made to solve the above-mentionedproblems and has for its object to provide an Internet charging systemin which information on the Internet charging system is collectivelymanaged by a charging database, whereby a customer can select desiredinformation from information on an Internet access method, a method fordisplaying information for charging and a charging method associatedwith the Internet access, and on the terminal server side, a provisionmethod of Internet access service, an advertisement distribution methodand a charging method associated with the Internet access can be changedaccording to a state of Internet usage by the customer and the result ofthe customer selection.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0012] To solve the above-described problems, according to claim 1 ofthe present invention, there is provided an Internet charging system ina system having an information terminal and a terminal server thatprovides Internet access service employing a public network to theinformation terminal, comprising: on the terminal server side, acharging server for sequentially calculating an Internet usage fee whichoccurs according to Internet usage by an Internet user through theinformation terminal; a charging database having the charging tablerequired for calculating the Internet usage fee; and a customer databasehaving a customer table which includes information on a customer as theInternet user through the information terminal, in which on the terminalserver side, the charging table which includes information on anInternet access method, a method for displaying information for thecharging, and a charging method associated with Internet access isperiodically transmitted to the information terminal, and on theinformation terminal side, the customer selects desired information fromthe information in the transmitted charging table. Therefore, theinformation in the charging table can be constantly updated, and thecustomer can select desired information from the information on theInternet access method, the method for displaying information for thecharging, and the charging method associated with Internet access, inthe transmitted charging table.

[0013] According to claim 2 of the present invention, there is providedan Internet charging system in a system having an information terminaland a terminal server that provides Internet access service employing apublic network to the information terminal, comprising: on the terminalserver side, a charging server for sequentially calculating an Internetusage fee which occurs according to Internet usage by an Internet userthrough the information terminal; a charging database having a chargingtable required for calculating the Internet usage fee; a customerdatabase having a customer table which includes information on acustomer as the Internet user through the information terminal; anadvertisement data controller for controlling an size and a display timeof an advertisement which is sent to the terminal server; anadvertisement content server for retaining contents of theadvertisement; a data traffic monitor server for monitoring data trafficof the Internet; and a usage state monitor server for monitoring a stateof Internet usage by the customer, in which on the terminal server side,the charging table which includes information on an Internet accessmethod, a method for displaying information for the charging, and acharging method associated with Internet access is periodicallytransmitted to the information terminal, on the information terminalside, the customer selects desired information from the information inthe transmitted charging table, and on the terminal server side, anInternet access service providing method, an advertisement distributionmethod, and the charging method associated with Internet access arechanged according to the state of Internet usage by the customer and theresult of the selection by the customer of the desired information inthe charging table. Therefore, a provider can change the Internet accessservice providing method, the advertisement distribution method, and thecharging method associated with Internet access, according to the stateof Internet usage by the customer and the result of the customerselection of a charging method. According to claim 3 of the presentinvention, the Internet charging system as defined in claim 1 or 2comprises: in the information terminal, an access program for accessingthe Internet; a usage state monitor program for monitoring the state ofInternet usage by the customer; an information terminal chargingdatabase having an information terminal charging table which includesinformation required for calculating the Internet usage fee; and anaccess setting database having an access table which includesinformation on plural providers such as phone numbers, ID numbers,passwords, thereby automatically changing a provider. Therefore, it ispossible to change a provider automatically on the side of theinformation terminal possessed by the customer, when the customerdesires change of the provider.

[0014] According to claim 4 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 3, the charging tablehas line usage fee information concerning a usage fee of the publicnetwork. Therefore, it is possible to select the line usage feeinformation.

[0015] According to claim 5 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 4, the charging tablehas advertisement size information concerning a size of theadvertisement displayed on the information terminal. Therefore, it ispossible to select the advertisement size information.

[0016] According to claim 6 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 5, the charging systemhas advertisement number information concerning the number ofadvertisements displayed on the information terminal. Therefore, it ispossible to select the advertisement number information.

[0017] According to claim 7 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 6, the charging tablehas advertisement display time information concerning a display time ofthe advertisement displayed on the information terminal. Therefore, itis possible to select the advertisement display time information.

[0018] According to claim 8 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 7, the charging tablehas usage time-zone information concerning a time zone in which theclient uses the Internet. Therefore, it is possible to select the usagetime-zone information.

[0019] According to claim 9 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 8, the charging tablehas information on accumulated access time that is an accumulation oftime for which the customer uses the Internet. Therefore, it is possibleto select the accumulated access time information.

[0020] According to claim 10 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 9, the charging tablehas data packet amount information concerning an amount of data packetsutilized in the Internet. Therefore, it is possible to select the datapacket amount information.

[0021] According to claim 11 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 10, the charging tablehas communication traffic state information concerning a communicationtraffic state in the public network. Therefore, it is possible to selectthe communication traffic state information.

[0022] According to claim 12 of the present invention, in the Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 11, the charging tablehas electric commerce deal amount/frequency information, which concernsa deal amount when the customer performs electronic commerce employingthe Internet, and a frequency of performing the electronic commerce.Therefore, it is possible to select the electric commerce dealamount/frequency information.

[0023] As described above, according to the Internet charging system asdefined in claim 1 of the present invention, the information in thecharging table on the Internet access method, the method for displayinginformation for the charging, and the charging method associated withInternet access is constantly updated, and the customer selects desiredinformation from the information in the charging table when connectingthe information terminal to the Internet. That is, it is possible torealize an Internet charging system which meets the customer requestwhen the customer uses the Internet.

[0024] According to the Internet charging system as defined in claim 2of the present invention, it is possible to realize an Internet chargingsystem which allows a provider to change the Internet access serviceproviding method, the advertisement distribution method, and thecharging method associated with Internet access according to the stateof Internet usage by the customer and the result of the customerselection of the desired information in the charging table.

[0025] According to the Internet charging system as defined in claim 3of the present invention, it is possible to realize an Internet chargingsystem which enables change of a provider on the side of the informationterminal possessed by the customer as an Internet user, when thecustomer desires change of the provider.

[0026] According to the Internet charging system as defined in any ofclaims 4 to 12 of the present invention, information such as the lineusage fee information, the advertisement size information, theadvertisement number information, the advertisement display timeinformation, the usage time-zone information, the accumulated accesstime information, a data packet amount information, a communicationtraffic information, and electric commerce deal amount/frequencyinformation is included in the charging table. Therefore, there can berealized an Internet charging system which enables the customer toperform selection, combining the conditions such as the line usage fee,the advertisement size, the number of advertisements, the advertisementdisplay time, the usage time-zone, the accumulated access time, theamount of data packets, the communication traffic, and the deal amountand frequency of electric commerce, with the charging method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027]FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an Internetcharging system according to a first embodiment.

[0028]FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the Internetcharging system according to the first embodiment.

[0029]FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an Internetcharging system according to a second embodiment.

[0030]FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the Internetcharging system according to the second embodiment.

[0031]FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an Internetcharging system according to a third embodiment.

[0032]FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the Internetcharging system according to the third embodiment

BEST MODE TO EXECUTE THE INVENTION

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention willbe described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments describedhere are given only as examples and the present invention is notrestricted to these embodiments.

[0034] (Embodiment 1)

[0035] Hereinafter, an Internet charging system according to a firstembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2.

[0036]FIG. 1 is an example of an Internet charging system A according tothe present invention, while the structure of the Internet chargingsystem A shown here is not restricted thereto. Further, a personalcomputer (PC) or the like, for example, is employed as an informationterminal 101.

[0037] In FIG. 1, the Internet charging system A is an Internet chargingsystem in a system which includes an information terminal 101 to which amodem 102 is connected, a public network 103 connected to theinformation terminal 101 through the modem 102 and a terminal server 105which provides Internet access service through a modem 104 to theinformation terminal 101, the public network 103 and the modem 102, inwhich Internet charging system, on the side of the terminal server 105,there are provided a charging server 106 for sequentially calculating anInternet usage fee which occurs according to Internet usage by anInternet user through the information terminal 101, a charging database107 having a charging table 108 that is necessary for the calculation ofthe Internet usage fee, and a customer database 109 having a customertable 110 that has information on a customer who is a user of theInternet through the information terminal 101, and on the terminalserver 105 side, the charging table 108 which includes information on anInternet access method, a method for displaying information for chargingand a charging method associated with the Internet access isperiodically transmitted to the information terminal 101, while on theinformation terminal 101 side the customer selects desired informationfrom the information in the transmitted charging table 108.

[0038] The customer who intends to use the Internet connects their owninformation terminal 101 to the Internet charging system A as shown inFIG. 1, while the connection method is as follows. That is, theinformation terminal 101 is connected to the public network 103, such asa phone line and a cable, through the modem 102 and thereafter connectedto the terminal server 105 through the modem 104 which is connected toeach port of the terminal server 105, thereby connecting to the Internetcharging system A.

[0039] A specific operation of the so-constructed Internet chargingsystem A will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0040]FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing process steps of the Internetcharging system A according to the first embodiment.

[0041] The information terminal 101 requesting accesses to the Internetis authenticated by means of a customer ID and a password or the like,and then its connection is authorized. After the authorization of theconnection, in S11, the terminal server 105 instructs the chargingserver 106 to start charging (See FIG. 1 (11)).

[0042] In S12, the charging server 106 accesses the customer database109, retrieves the customer table 110, and checks the present chargingmethod of the customer (See FIG. 1 (12)).

[0043] In a case where the customer desires to change the chargingmethod, in S13, the customer database 109 accesses the charging database107 and retrieves what kinds of charging methods are on the presentcharging table 108 (See FIG. 1 (13)).

[0044] In S14, the data of the retrieved charging methods are sent tothe terminal server 105 from the charging database 107, and the terminalserver 105 makes the information terminal 101 display a charging menu(See FIG. 1 (14)).

[0045] In S15, the customer selects a charging method on the informationterminal 101, and thereafter the data are sent from the terminal server105 to the customer database 109 and the customer table 110 is updated(See FIG. 1 (15)). Then, in S16, the updated charging method is returnedto the charging server, and charging is started on the basis of thecharging method (See FIG. 1 (16)).

[0046] In a case where the customer does not change the charging method,the operation proceeds directly to S16 after the process of S12.

[0047] Further, the charging methods are given by the access provider asvarious kinds of service, while as the charging methods, selection ismade from information such as line usage fee information concerning theusage fee for the public network (Δ yen/minute), advertisement sizeinformation concerning the size of an advertisement displayed on theinformation terminal 101 (Δ×Δ mm or smaller), advertisement numberinformation concerning the number of advertisements displayed on theinformation terminal 101 (Δ pieces or less), advertisement display timeinformation concerning a display time of an advertisement displayed onthe information terminal 101 (within Δ minutes/day), use time-zoneinformation concerning a time zone in which the customer uses theInternet (from Δ p.m. to Δ a.m.), accumulated access time informationconcerning an accumulated access time which is an accumulation of timefor which the customer uses the Internet (within Δ hours/month),data-packet amount information concerning the amount of data packets atthe Internet use (within Δ KB/day), communication traffic informationconcerning communication traffic in the public network (Δpeople/simultaneous access), and information on the deal amount when thecustomer performs electronic commerce employing the Internet and thefrequency of performing the electronic commerce (Δ yen/month or more),and the selection is registered in the charging table 108. Of course,information other than those described above may be registered in thecharging table 108. The charging table 108 in the charging database 107is constantly updated.

[0048] As described above, according to the Internet charging system Aof the first embodiment, information on the Internet access method, themethod for displaying information for charging and the charging methodassociated with the Internet access in the charging table 108 isconstantly updated, and the customer can select desired information fromthe information in the charging table 108 when connecting theinformation terminal 101 to the Internet, resulting in quite a suitedInternet charging system.

[0049] (Embodiment 2)

[0050] Hereinafter, an Internet charging system B according to a secondembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4.

[0051]FIG. 3 shows an example of the Internet charging system Baccording to the second embodiment, while the structure of the Internetcharging system B shown here is not restricted thereto. Further, apersonal computer (PC) or the like, for example, is employed as aninformation terminal 101. Here, the same component parts as those in theInternet charging system A shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the samereference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0052] In FIG. 3, the Internet charging system B is an Internet chargingsystem in a system which includes an information terminal 101 and aterminal server 105 that provides Internet access service employing apublic network 103 to the information terminal 101, in which Internetcharging system, on the terminal server 105 side, there are provided acharging server 106, a charging database 107, a customer database 109,an advertisement data controller 201 which is connected to the terminalserver 105 and the charging server 106 and controls the size and thedisplay time of an advertisement that are sent to the terminal server105, an advertisement content server 202 which is connected to theadvertisement data controller 201 and keeps contents of theadvertisement distributed to a customer, a data traffic monitor server203 which monitors data traffic of the Internet and is connected to theadvertisement data controller 201 and a modem 104, and a customer usagestate monitor server 204 which is connected to the charging server 106and the customer database 109 and monitors a state of Internet usage bythe customer, and on the terminal server 105 side, the charging table108 which includes information on an Internet access method, a methodfor displaying information for charging and a charging method associatedwith the Internet access is periodically transmitted to the informationterminal 101, while on the information terminal 101 side the customerselects desired information from the information in the transmittedcharging table 108, and a provision method of Internet access service,an advertisement distribution method and the charging method associatedwith the Internet access are changed according to the state of Internetusage by the customer and the result of selection of the desiredinformation in the charging table 108 by the customer.

[0053] A specific operation of the so-constructed Internet chargingsystem B will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0054]FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing process steps of the Internetcharging system B according to the second embodiment.

[0055] The information terminal 101 which requests an access to theInternet is authenticated by means of a customer ID and a password andthe like, and then its connection is authorized. After the authorizationof the connection, in S11, the terminal server 105 instructs thecharging server 106 to start charging (See FIG. 3 (11)).

[0056] In S12, the charging server 106 accesses the customer database109, retrieves the customer table 110, and checks the present chargingmethod of the customer (See FIG. 3 (12)).

[0057] In a case where the present Internet charging method of thecustomer is changed according to the usage state such as communicationtraffic and the data packet amount, in S21, the charging server 106instructs change of advertisement data inserted in the advertisementdata controller 201 (See FIG. 3 (21)).

[0058] Here, the amount of data passing through the modem 104 and thestate of the communication traffic are sequentially monitored by thedata traffic monitor server 203 (See FIG. 3 (22)), and those conditionsare periodically sent to the advertisement data controller 201 (See FIG.3 (23)). In the advertisement data controller 201, advertisementinformation in the advertisement content server 202 is extracted (SeeFIG. 3 (24)), and in S25 the advertisement size or the advertisementdisplay time is changed according to the state of the network traffic(See FIG. 3 (25)).

[0059] The operation in S25 will be described further. For example, whenthe information sent from the terminal server 105 is augmented and thetraffic on the modem 104 continues to exceed the upper limit oftransmission capacity, the advertisement data controller 201 reduces theadvertisement size or the number of advertisements, therebycommunicating data other than advertisement by priority. On the otherhand, when the information sent from the terminal server 105 isdecreased and the traffic on the modem 104 continues to be under theupper limit of the transmission capacity, the advertisement datacontroller 201 increases the advertisement size or the number ofadvertisements, thereby sending clearer advertisement data. Further, inthe case of changing the present charging method according to usage ofthe customer, the charging server 106 instructs the customer usage statemonitor server 204 to change the charging method (See FIG. 3 (26)).

[0060] The customer usage state monitor server 204 monitors the usagestate of the customer, sends information on the method for charging thecustomer to the customer database 109, and sequentially updates thecustomer table 110 (See FIG. 3 (27)).

[0061] Then, in S16, the updated charging method is returned to thecharging server, and charging is started on the basis of the chargingmethod (See FIG. 3 (16)). In a case where the Internet access chargingmethod selected by the customer does not allow the change ofadvertisement data according to the usage state of the communicationtraffic or the like, the operation proceeds directly to S16.

[0062] As described above, according to the Internet charging system Bof the second embodiment, on the terminal server side, the Internetaccess service providing method, the advertisement distribution methodand the charging method associated with the Internet access can bechanged according to the state of Internet usage by the customer and theresult of selection of the information included in the charging table bythe customer, resulting in quite a suited Internet charging system.

[0063] Further, a variety of information included in the charging table108 of the second embodiment are the same as those described in thefirst embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted here.

[0064] (Embodiment 3)

[0065] Hereinafter, an Internet charging system according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 5 and 6.

[0066] An Internet charging system C according to the third embodimenthas an information terminal 101 utilized by a customer, which isprovided with an access program 301 for accessing the Internet, a usagestate monitor program 302 for monitoring a state of Internet usage bythe customer, an information terminal charging database 303 providedwith an information terminal charging table 304 that is necessary forcalculating an Internet usage fee, and an access setting database 305provided with an access table 306 including information on pluralproviders such as access points, phone numbers, ID numbers, passwords,thereby automatically changing providers.

[0067] Here, as shown in FIG. 5, a terminal server 105 connected througha public network 103 is the same as that of the Internet charging systemA described in the first embodiment or that of the Internet chargingsystem B described in the second embodiment, and its detaileddescription will be omitted here.

[0068] A specific operation of the so-constructed Internet charging Cwill be described with reference to FIG. 6.

[0069]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing process steps of the Internetcharging system C.

[0070] First, when starting accessing the Internet, the customer selectswhether to change a provider or not.

[0071] When the customer selects the change of the provider, in S31, theinformation terminal 101 which requests the access to the Internettransfers previous Internet access state to the usage state monitorprogram 302 and keeps the state in the program (See FIG. 5 (31)).

[0072] Next, in S32, during the ongoing Internet access operation, onthe basis of the access state transferred in S31, a provider whichprovides a charging method desired by the customer is automaticallyselected from the information terminal charging table 304 in theinformation terminal charging database 303 (See FIG. 5 (32)), and in S33the name of the provider is transferred to the access setting database305 (See FIG. 5 (33)).

[0073] Since the access table 306 in which phone numbers, ID numbers,passwords and the like for respective providers are registered is keptin the access setting database 305, data required for accessing thespecified provider are transferred from the access table 306 to theaccess program 301 in S34 (See FIG. 5 (34)), and the access is startedin S35 (See FIG. 5 (35)).

[0074] As described above, according to the Internet charging system Cof the third embodiment, in a case where the customer desires change ofthe provider, the provider can be automatically changed on the side ofthe information terminal possessed by the customer as an Internet user,resulting in quite a suited Internet charging system.

[0075] According to the so-operated Internet charging system C, in acase for example where a customer who has utilized a provider with a loweffective speed of contents data due to large advertisement size ornumber of advertisements but with low access fee desires to change to aprovider with smaller advertisement size and number of advertisementseven with a higher access fee with the increase of contents data to bedownloaded, another access point fulfilling the conditions on the accesssetting database 305 is connected when the customer selects high speedsetting of transfer rate on the access program 301.

APPLICABILITY IN INDUSTRY

[0076] The present invention can provides an Internet charging system bywhich when plural Internet access providers provide Internet accessservices to a customer based on plural charging methods which are setrespectively on their own terms, the customer selects a providing methodof the Internet access service. The present invention can be utilizedwhen an individual who intends to use the Internet accesses the Internetfor information request.

We claim:
 1. An Internet charging system in a system having aninformation terminal and a terminal server that provides Internet accessservice employing a public network to the information terminal,comprising: on the terminal server side, a charging server forsequentially calculating an Internet usage fee which occurs according toInternet usage by an Internet user through the information terminal; acharging database having a charging table required for calculating theInternet usage fee; and a customer database having a customer tablewhich includes information on a customer as the Internet user throughthe information terminal, wherein, on the terminal server side, thecharging table which includes information on an Internet access method,a method for displaying information for charging, and a charging methodassociated with Internet access is periodically transmitted to theinformation terminal, and on the information terminal side, the customerselects desired information from the information in the transmittedcharging table.
 2. An Internet charging system in a system having aninformation terminal and a terminal server that provides Internet accessservice employing a public network to the information terminal,comprising: on the terminal server side, a charging server forsequentially calculating an Internet usage fee which occurs according toInternet usage by an Internet user through the information terminal; acharging database having a charging table required for calculating theInternet usage fee; a customer database having a customer table whichincludes information on a customer as the Internet user through theinformation terminal; an advertisement data controller for controllingan size and a display time of an advertisement which is sent to theterminal server; an advertisement content server for retaining contentsof the advertisement; a data traffic monitor server for monitoring datatraffic of the Internet; and a usage state monitor server for monitoringa state of Internet usage by the customer, wherein on the terminalserver side, the charging table which includes information on anInternet access method, a method for displaying information for thecharging, and a charging method associated with Internet access isperiodically transmitted to the information terminal, on the informationterminal side, the customer selects desired information from theinformation in the transmitted charging table, and on the terminalserver side, an Internet access service providing method, anadvertisement distribution method, and the charging method associatedwith Internet access are changed according to the state of Internetusage by the customer and the result of the selection by the customer ofthe desired information in the charging table.
 3. The Internet chargingsystem as defined in claim 1 or 2 comprising: in the informationterminal, an access program for accessing the Internet; a usage statemonitor program for monitoring the state of Internet usage by thecustomer; an information terminal charging database having aninformation terminal charging table which includes information requiredfor calculating the Internet usage fee; and an access setting databasehaving an access table which includes information on plural providerssuch as phone numbers, ID numbers, passwords, thereby automaticallychanging a provider.
 4. The Internet charging system as defined in anyof claims 1 to 3 wherein the charging table has line usage feeinformation concerning a usage fee of the public network.
 5. TheInternet charging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein thecharging table has advertisement size information concerning a size ofthe advertisement displayed on the information terminal.
 6. The Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the chargingsystem has advertisement number information concerning the number ofadvertisements displayed on the information terminal.
 7. The Internetcharging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the chargingtable has advertisement display time information concerning a displaytime of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal.
 8. TheInternet charging system as defined in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein thecharging table has usage time-zone information concerning a time zone inwhich the client uses the Internet.
 9. The Internet charging system asdefined in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the charging table hasinformation on accumulated access time that is an accumulation of timefor which the customer uses the Internet.
 10. The Internet chargingsystem as defined in any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the charging table hasdata packet amount information concerning an amount of data packetsutilized in the Internet.
 11. The Internet charging system as defined inany of claims 1 to 10 wherein the charging table has communicationtraffic state information concerning a communication traffic state inthe public network.
 12. The Internet charging system as defined in anyof claims 1 to 11 wherein the charging table has electric commerce dealamount/frequency information, which concerns a deal amount when thecustomer performs electronic commerce employing the Internet, and afrequency of performing the electronic commerce.